Realm

New Beginnings

Session 7

21

MAY/12

We entered a domed circular room with beautiful artwork covering the walls. What a difference from the previous room. A surprise at every turn in this place. As we survey the animals decorating the walls it is obvious that they match the statues we are carrying and the previous statues as well. Following the pattern we each place a statue around the circle.

For fear of more traps or some other negative effect I volunteered to go first. I placed the elephant into its spot and stood amazed at the portal that opened on the wall. A lush forest and the symbol of Obad Hi as the cleric informs me. I felt refreshed, better that I had in days it seemed.

Each member of the party placed their statues in turn with similar effect.

As the last statue was placed we all took a step back. Thankfully only a wooden door appeared. Undoubtedly the next stage in this puzzle.

The portals intrigue me, but seem to be impenetrable. Rindil poked one with stick and it just bounced off.

I wait as Pietro checks for traps at the wooden door and then open it. We see 8 sarcophagi and thrown with corpse shackled to it. The corpse holds a quill to write and there are books and a small replica of the mansion next to it. Pietro carefully approaches the corpse checking for traps and wearing his invisibility cloak, a task he would later regret.

A ghost materializes in front of Pietro and tells a tale of how a previous group of Drow adventurers chained him. He had the last laugh though with the aid of some god. Though he says that he does not need to be freed he does seem stuck in this place. He continues to demand our magical items and we refuse, of course. This ghost needs stop harassing innocent travellers.

The sarcophagi burst open and Skeletons pop out, each with a different magical weapon. Shrapnel hits the party hard and Pietro goes down. I am lucky enough to dodge the shrapnel and look up to notice the ghost is sniffing the air. Strange. As Rindil kills a skeleton he shouts something about gems in the back of the sarcophagi but is too busy battling the next skeleton to investigate further.

More bad luck, Tro is struck and goes down, whittling our number to only 4. I am keeping an eye on the ghost as I attack another skeleton and am worried as he approaches Pietro laying prone on the ground. The ghost seems sniff out his magical items and drain them. What will he do when he is done with the items? I must try and protect Pietro. Maybe if we kill the ghost the skeletons will fall too. I run up to the ghost and notice a faint glow of a cord connecting the skeleton to the corpse as he drains another item.

I can’t seem to damage the ghost with my weapons and hacking at the corpse also does not slow him. Luckily Shadow has figured out that prying out out the gems kills the skeletons. Rindil and Corbin are busy fighting the skeletons and Shadow is working on the gems.
In hopes of finding some information that could help us against the ghost I quickly survey the items by the corpse. There is a book called the Haven that explains about the building we are now in and another book I can’;t seem to read. No help here either.

The skeletons on the ground begin to move. This can’t be good. Shadow is still removing gems and now Rindil is under attack from the ghost. While its attention is turned, I drag Pietro over to the cleric for healing. I hope it is not too late.

As the skeletons coalesces into one monster skeleton Corbin quickly makes Rindil’s weapon magical so he can fight the ghost. I pick up some magical javelins and throw one at the ghost then turn to fight the monster skeleton. Tro is too close, so I point him in the right direction and tell him to move quickly while I approach the skeleton. I have to give Shadow time to remove the gems and Rindil time to kill the ghost. The ghost is killed. Excellent! The skeletons keep going and they hit hard. Too hard.

……

I wake up back in the swamp where the mansion was. What the? The little replica of the house is left with a note from bacab that the house is a gift use it wisely. Later I learn that the ghost thought that if he could open the portals he could become a god. Vecna had tricked him though. He used to follow balcob.

I realize now how much we have come to depend on each other and how well our different skills work together. I am used to fighting along side other knights, but these new companions are proving themselves worthy allies. Hopefully we can save the caravan from this zombie infested swamp soon.